This application relates to flyweights for ram air turbines utilized on aircraft as a source of supplemental power generation.
Ram air turbines are known, and are movable between a stowed and a deployed position, typically beneath an aircraft. A ram air turbine may be deployed when the main aircraft engine has failed and a source of power is necessary. When deployed, the ram air turbine has blades which are rotatable, and are driven by air rushing past the aircraft. The blades are driven to rotate, and in turn drive a shaft associated with a generator and/or a pump, which generates electricity and/or hydraulic power for various uses on the aircraft, such as providing hydraulic control, or other control to the pilot.
The angle of incidence of the airstream on the turbine blades is desirably changed as the speed of the turbine changes. In the prior art, a governor is associated with a turbine hub, and includes flyweights which shift the governor components during the initial acceleration of the turbine. The flyweights move under centrifugal force to shift the governor components and change the angle of incidence of the airstream on the blades. The prior art flyweights are typically relatively complex, and include a stainless steel component having a pair of spaced blades, and which are riveted through openings in the stainless steel component to a tungsten component.